W. Va. Code R. § 150-17-3

Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 38, September 20, 2024

Section 150-17-3 - COUNTY PLANS

3.1 The objective of the plan shall be to identify problem areas and study the possible creation, consolidation, merger, expansion or dissolution of existing districts, or consolidation or merger of the management and administrative services and personnel of existing districts, or any combination of the above. The plan shall address the overall goals and objectives of the county commission and/or the Public Service Commission to meet the water and sewer needs of the residents of West Virginia. The plan shall state which of these specific purposes are to be achieved in meeting the water and sewer needs of the county.

3.2 The plan shall enumerate specific goals to be achieved in meeting the purposes set forth in section 3.1 and shall describe how each existing public service district relates to one or more of the goals.

3.3 The plan shall define specific actions for implementing the goals _to be achieved as required by section 3.2. There shall be at least a summary objective for each district and unserviced area. If there are no changes proposed for any district or unserved area, the plan shall explain why no changes are necessary and the overall result .of making no changes.

3.4 A cost-benefit analysis shall be included in the county plan. The plan shall also include other alternatives considered and rejected.

3.5 County Information - The following county information shall be incorporated in the county plan.

(A) Personnel Information:

1. Name, address and term of office of each county commissioner.

2. Name and address of person(s) or firm who prepared the plan.

(B) Geographic and Demographic Information:

1. A physical description of the county, average income of county residents, employment statistics, types of industries and any business or industries moving into or leaving the county. Provide the total population of the county and projected trends in population, and census figures for 1960, 1970 and 198 0, and projected census figures for 1990 and 2000.

2. The names of each active or inactive public service district, designate, "as "AW" Active Water, "AS" -Active Sewer, "IW" - Active Water and Sewer or, "IW" -Inactive Water, "IS" - Inactive Sewer, "IWS" - Inactive Water and Sewer.

3. A topographic map of the county delineating the following areas:

a. the location and service area for each public service district, active and inactive, indicating the number of customers served, by each district and the number of customers formerly served by each inactive district and indicating how these former customers are obtaining water and sewer service, if any.

b. the. location and service area of any other type of system of water . or sewer service, except individual wells (such as but not limited to, municipal utilities, private water companies, or private districts) and indicating the number of customers served by these other water and/or sewer systems, areas not served by any public source of water or sewer service and the number of people not served by any public source.

3.6 Public Service District Information - The following information shall be included in the county plan.

(A) Personnel Information:

1. The name, address, present occupation, position and length of service with the district for each district board member and employee.

2. The number of full-time and part-time employees, the job description for each position indicating the job title, the nature of the work, hours per week, required skills, minimum training and experience requirements and examples of work performed, and the district's personnel policies, such as leave policy, employee benefits, and required-working hours.

(B) Operations:

1. The district's office facilities and location.

2. The district's billing procedures and whether or not a place is provided for customers to deposit payments after office hours.

3. The district's procedures for customers to report and the district to deal with emergencies or repairs after hours.

4. Any vehicles and heavy equipment owned by the district.

(C) Accounting System:

1. Whether or not the district's billing, accounts receivable, general ledger, accounts payable, inventory, payroll and plant and depreciation are maintained by the district, or by outside account ing services or a combination of in-house and outside services, and whether or not the above functions are performed manually or by computer.

2. The annual cost of outside accounting services and what person(s) or flrm(s) provided the service.

3. The cost of the district's annual audit and name and address of" the accountant who performs the annual audit.

4. Any computer systems in use, including the manufacturer, model, operating system's RAM memory, external storage memory, capacity of floppy disks, capacity of hard disks, and backup storage system, whether or not the hardware is owned or leased or provided by an outside accounting service or service bureau, and the accounting system software used with the computer system.

(D) General Financial Information:

1. All debt instruments and the purpose for which the debt was incurred, and the outstanding balance on each such debt instrument, including annual . payments of principal and interest.

2. The sources, amount and date of any grants received by the district and how the . grant was used.

3. Sources of contributions in aid of construction and the amount contributed from each source.

4. The status of all reserve accounts, including the amount of reserves required by bond resolution and the amount now on deposit, and the amount of revenue being deposited in the reserve accounts on a monthly basis.

5. Any funds available to the district.

6. The dollar amount of the gross plant in service and the net plant in service.

7. Operating budgets, construction and equipment budgets and construction projects anticipated within the next twelve months.

8. The district's insurance coverage(s) , giving the name of the company, type(s) of coverage, policy period, premium and amount of any increase since last renewal.

(E) Engineering Information:

1. Water The district's distribution system, including the number of customers by class, when the original system was built, the last major extension, the source(s) of supply and describing the number. capacity, age and condition of each storage tank and pump, the quality of water, the district's percentage of unaccounted for water and any necessary repairs, extensions or replacements to the district's distribution system.

2. Sewer - The district's sewage collection system including the type, age, capacity and condition of the lines and the treatment and pumping facilities, when the original system was built, the last major extension, the number of customers by class and any necessary improvements to the system.

(F) Legal Information:

The amount spent annually on legal services itemized by hours and/or cases; the name and case number for all pending lawsuits and proceedings before the Public Service Commission. A list of customer complaints over the last year and all agreements or contracts to which the District is a party, including, hut not limited to operating contracts, legal service contracts, purchase agreements, resale contracts and treatment agreements shall be included.

3.7 A county commission which elects to develop the county plan shall give the Public Service Commission notice if the county intends to use a consultant to develop the plan and shall obtain Public Service Commission approval prior to contracting for the services of such consultant.

W. Va. Code R. § 150-17-3